This is a practical guide to end of tenancy cleaning for landlords and letting agents: the clean that fills the gap between one tenant handing back the keys and the next one moving in. The goal sounds simple. The property should match the check-in inventory, allowing for fair wear and tear, and be ready on the day the new tenancy starts. If you would rather not organise the clean yourself, our end of tenancy cleaning service handles flats and houses between lets.
Most tenancy agreements say the property must be returned in the condition it was let in. That clause only works if both sides can see what “clean” meant at the start, which is why the inventory sits at the centre of everything below. Tenants who have been asked to leave the property clean will find a short section for them near the end.
When to book the clean
Book it for the first day the property is completely empty. Cleaners working around boxes, a sofa waiting for collection or a bag of rubbish in the hall cannot reach the floors, the inside of cupboards or the backs of doors, and those are the places a checkout report picks up.
How the clean fits around the checkout inspection depends on who is responsible for it:
- The outgoing tenant agreed to leave it clean. Hold the checkout inspection first, so the report records the state they actually left. Then arrange any cleaning the report shows is needed.
- You clean between every let anyway. Book the clean straight after the keys come back, and do the checkout inspection once it is finished.
Either way, leave a clear day before the next check-in if you can. A clean often turns up small jobs nobody noticed in a furnished, lived-in room: a dripping tap, a scuffed wall that needs paint, a blind that will not come down. Those are easier to sort with a day in hand.
Tell us the checkout date as soon as you know it. Same-day service is available, but for a turnaround between tenants it is better to have the date in the diary well before the keys are returned.
Briefing the cleaners
The more the cleaners know before they arrive, the less you will need to chase afterwards. Send them:
- a copy of the check-in inventory, or the last checkout report, with photos if it has them;
- the problem areas you already know about, such as a stained oven, limescale on the shower screen, a greasy extractor filter or marks on the skirting boards;
- whether the let is furnished, and which items stay;
- anything that is not to be touched, such as a utility cupboard or a locked storage room.
Ask what the standard clean covers and what counts as an extra. Carpet cleaning, and the inside of the oven, the fridge and the cupboards, are not included in our end of tenancy clean; if the carpets need it, book carpet cleaning between tenancies as a separate job. Our end of tenancy cleaning checklist sets out what to check room by room.
What the property needs on the day
A few practical things make the difference between a clean that runs to plan and one that stops halfway:
- Power and hot water left on. Do not ask for the supplies to be cut off at checkout. Vacuums, steam equipment and a proper oven clean all need electricity, and greasy kitchens need hot water.
- Keys sorted in advance. Agree who collects them, from where, and where they go back afterwards. If an agent holds the keys, put the cleaners and the agent in touch the day before.
- Belongings and rubbish gone. Anything left behind slows the clean and may need a decision you are not there to make.
- Access to the building. For a flat, check whether there is a door code, a fob or a concierge to tell.
Who pays for the clean in England
In England, GOV.UK’s guidance on fees you can charge as part of a tenancy lists the payments a landlord or agent can take in connection with a tenancy: rent, a refundable tenancy deposit, a refundable holding deposit and a short list of specific fees. A charge for professional cleaning is not on that list, and the guidance states that you cannot charge a tenant any payment that is not on it.
How deductions from a protected deposit are agreed or disputed is set by the rules of the deposit protection scheme you use. Read them, and take advice if you are unsure, before you deduct anything for cleaning.
Checking the work at handover
Walk round with the inventory in your hand rather than from memory. The places that most often get a second look are:
- inside the oven, the grill pan and the extractor filter;
- the fridge and freezer, including the seals and the drawer runners;
- taps, plugholes and shower screens, where limescale shows up in daylight;
- inside kitchen cupboards and wardrobes;
- skirting boards, door frames, light switches and sockets;
- window sills and the tracks of sliding doors.
If you find something we missed when you check the property, let us know within 24 hours and we will make it right. For a fuller view of the checkout from the landlord’s side, see what landlords check at the end of a tenancy.
If you are the tenant
If your tenancy agreement asks you to return the property clean, start by comparing the rooms with your check-in inventory. Book any clean for after the last of your things have gone, not before, and be there or reachable on the day in case a question comes up about keys or access. Your landlord or agent can tell you when the checkout inspection is booked, so the clean can be done before it.
Arranging a clean between lets
For a turnaround between tenants, call 01483 773531 with the checkout date, the number of bedrooms and whether the let is furnished, and we will quote for the clean. Our cleaning prices and the areas we cover are online if you want to check them first, and you can also send the details through our contact page.